Bodyguard: A Journey Through 40 Years of General Practice (2021; Leon Scheepers; Misty Meadows translator)

“By ignoring systematically small studies that demonstrate a large homeopathic effect, the illusion is ultimately maintained in the scientific world that homeopathic medicines are not effective”.–p. 16 (Maria Goossens, BA, MSc, PhD)

Bodyguard: A Journey Through 40 Years of General Practice (2021; Leon Scheepers; Misty Meadows translator). In Dutch, Lijfwacht (2020); in French, Garde du corps (2021). 336 pages paperback; 6”x9”; 35 USD. ISBN: 9789464364927. https://www.bodyguardls.be/ ; https://www.gardeducorps.be/

I didn't think I was going to write a review of this book for, when I first heard of it, thought it to be fiction and I don't do that genre. However, if you're wondering, I do enjoy fiction.

A few weeks passed and I received an email from the editor of this journal. Dr Sharma asked if I would write a review of Leon Scheeper's book, Bodyguard. And thus, my eyes were opened.

Though this volume might be considered fiction by some (allopaths?), I approached it in a more open fashion finding it to be a stellar narrative presented by a devoted healer and traditionally educated medical doctor (1980 graduate of the Belgium's Catholic University Faculty of Medicine located in Leuven).

In just over 300 pages, the author manages to weave multiple stories explaining many items including his abiding love for our art. This is especially evident in (Chapter 4) ‘40 anecdotes.’

Dr Scheepers (b. 1963) shares his own journey, some of which can be found in the book's Preface:

“In 1979, while in my sixth year of medical training, I met my wife Lieve. She was already familiar with homeopathic medicine and that is how I bought my first book on this healing method. After graduating in 1980 [I did] a six-month stay in Thailand where I worked with Doctors Without Borders in Khao-I-Dang, the refugee camp for Cambodians fleeing Pol Pot's reign of terror’.

‘It was during [this time] that I caught wind of a newly founded school [VSU - Vlaamse Studievereniging Unitaire homeopathie - Flemish Study Association of Unitary homeopathy founded in 1981] offering training in homeopathic medicine. Both the theoretical background and the way of working with patients fascinated me immensely and convinced me to enroll. I started my three-year course in the year the school was founded, to become a teacher myself from 1988’.–Scheepers (p. 8).

He has since served in various administrative capacities, i.e. president of the UNIO Homeopatica Belgica (UHB; 2009–2013), secretary of the UHB (since 2013), Belgian delegate to the political subcommittee of the E.C.H. (2005–2013) and served as Belgium's LIGA National Vice-president from 2009 to 2013 etc.

In 1987, he became a member of the Calcarea carbonica (Homeopathia Europea) study group for classical homeopathy. He has conducted a proving of Insulinum with Guido Mortelmans (2005) and been involved with provings of Lobelia cardinalis (2006), Galium aparine (2007) and Eriodictyon californicum (2009).

It was his son, Mathijs, who suggested that the title be, Lijfwacht (in the Dutch language). Leon wasn't quite comfortable with this but relented after reading a passage from one of Kent's lectures, ‘The Sick.’ In it, Kent stated that the doctor should be the guardian of the patient. That was all the convincing Scheepers needed and Bodyguard it became.

There are 10 chapters, with #4 (106pp) ‘40 Anecdotes’, and #5 (50pp) ‘Coronavirus crisis’, forming the bulk of the book. He hadn't planned to write a CV chapter but to him it seemed apropos as the pandemic was in full swing and he cultivated some experience in that area. He begins that story when, in 2002, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 was first encountered to weave several elements leading up to the 2019 to 2020 strain. He offers commentary and remedy recommendations based on those experiences.

As secretary of the UHB he forwarded that organisation's coronavirus disease 2019 protocol to the Flemish General Practitioners Syndicate. Needless to say it was rejected to paraphrase the Syndicate's reasoning –‘[We] are a scientific association, so unfortunately, we cannot apply the protocol sent’. Undaunted, Scheepers tried once again. He contacted the secretary of the syndicate and asked that the UHB protocol be sent attached to an email and sent separately to each member. Again, this met with a refusal: to paraphrase again, -‘...due to the “many e-mails sent to the physicians, no other e-mails may be forwarded”.’

Scheepers proceeds to present several experiences with about five patients of both genders ranging in ages from 30 to 70. He discusses the remedies he found most useful. All of these cases were treated classically and discussed at length. It is particularly instructive to have them grouped as they are.

Chapter 4, as mentioned, is the longest offering 40 cases. Most are short or medium in length and none have repertorial analysis charts. However, in the following case, he offers no comments but most do include his thoughts. A nice touch is the inclusion of a colour photo of the remedy or main remedy, if several are mentioned.

Due to space limitations, here is a short one totally in the patients own words as sent to Scheepers via e-mail:

Publication History

Article published online:
31 March 2023